Cleveland Police Officer Timothy Loehmann fatally shot 12-year-old Tamir Rice, who was holding a toy gun, at a city playground after responding to a 911 call two-and-a-half years ago. During a news conference today, Cleveland's Director of Public Safety Michael McGrath announced Loehmann has been fired—but not for his involvement in Rice's killing.
From ThinkProgress:
Loehmann’s firing on Tuesday is the closest Rice’s family have come to seeing their criticisms of their son’s killer validated. But the technical reasoning city officials laid out Tuesday morning show that Rice’s killer was fired for misleading the department on his job application rather than for killing the boy.
“Patrol Officer Loehmann had been charged with violations concerning his application process to considered a cadet with the Division of Police: Specifically, answers he had provided on his personal history statement,” said Cleveland Director of Public Safety Michael McGrath, whose office runs administrative hearings when police officers are formally charged with non-criminal violations of policy.
Officer Frank Garmback, who drove the patrol car to the park, "would be suspended for 10 days beginning Wednesday," The New York Times reports.
In 2015, a grand jury decided not to indict either of the officers involved in the shooting, sparking national outrage and protests. In April 2016, the City of Cleveland announced it would pay Rice's family $6 million to settle a civil lawsuit.
